Professional boxer walks after pleading to assault

Tara Miko
Reporter
Tara started with APN in 2010 after graduating with a journalism and politics degree from Griffith University in Brisbane. After two-and-a-half years working on APN papers in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland, she joined the team at The Chronicle in February 2013. In September that year she took over the reins of the Rural Weekly.

A PROFESSIONAL boxer who knocked a man unconscious outside a Toowoomba pub has walked from court without a conviction recorded.

Steven Jack Spark, 21, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm after he threw "numerous punches" at another boxer outside the Spotted Cow on September 17 this year.

The Toowoomba man had been at the CBD venue when the victim approached him at the bar and started a conversation about Spark's girlfriend.

After a time and at the victim's request, the pair moved the conversation outside where CCTV recorded them talking.
Spark walked away twice but was followed by the other man who was seen "invading his personal space", Spark's solicitor Damian Alroe told the court.

On the first occasion Spark turned around and pushed the man into the wall before a woman tried to break up the pair.

Spark again walked away before turning back around and walking towards the victim, "throwing numerous punches" which connected with the man, police prosecutor Natalie Bugden told the court.

One punch hit the man on the side of the face, causing him to fall to the ground and black out in the gutter outside the pub "covered in blood", Sergeant Bugden said.

The victim received two black eyes, a cut lip, fractured nose and lost a day of work, she said.

Spark rang and apologised to his victim the next day and it wasn't until three days after the assault a complaint was filed with police.

Mr Alroe said Spark, who had no previous criminal history, was remorseful and apologetic for his actions, and the pair had known each other for a number of years.

He said the victim had competed in a boxing match earlier that night and his client had been a trainer.

Mr Alroe said his client was a "relatively small" man of 62.5kg compared to his victim who he described as 110kg and about 187cm, and CCTV showed Spark had tried to walk away from the incident.

He told the court the conversation inside the pub had been about Spark's girlfriend at the time and the fact she had met the victim - who had previously been involved with the woman - for coffee.

It escalated into an assault when another comment was made about the woman, Mr Alroe said.

He submitted Spark was aware there was "no justification" for throwing punches, and that the serious nature of the matter before the court was "exacerbated" by the fact his client was a professional boxer who has represented Queensland and Australia in the sport.

Mr Alroe asked no conviction be recorded against his client due to the future possibility he could train in the US and a criminal history would be flagged with Homeland Security in considering granting him a visa.

Magistrate Roger Stark said the offence was "quite serious" considering the injuries to the victim, and provocation did "not give you licence to do what you did".

Mr Stark sentenced Spark to 12 months probation and ordered he complete 120 hours of unpaid community service in 12 months.

No conviction was recorded.

Speaking outside court, Spark said what happened was "terribly wrong".

"I've already apologised to the victim," he said.

"I'm terribly sorry and remorseful for all of this and it will never be happening again."